Self-adjusting drying-rack.



No. 633,416. Patented Sept. I9, |899. J. H. BEAULIEU.

SELF ADJUSTING DRYING RACK.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNTTnn STATns ATENT TFICE.

JOSEPH II. BEAULIEU, OF -WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

SELF-ADJUSTING DRYlNG-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,416, dated September 19, 1899. Appnman nearetmtry 6,1899, stanno. 704,734. (nomad.)

To 0U 'whom it may concern:

Be itlinown that I, JOSEPH II. BEAULIEU, of lVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Self-Adjusting Photograph- Drying Rack and Card-Holder, of which the followingisa full,clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for holding photographs for the purpose of drying the same and also for holding cards, photographs, dsc.; and the invention comprises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in all the figures.

Figure l is aplan view of my device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

The object of my invention is to furnish a cheap and convenient device for holding photographs after being mounted and while drying and which is also adapted for holding cards, &c.

The frame of the device consists of the two longitudinal bars A, which'are connected at their ends by cross-bars B. These bars A are slightly separated from each other, ina-king a central groove d. Two guide-rods C are supported at their ends in the cross-bars B, at a slight elevation from the main bars A ot' the frame and nearthe outer edges thereof. i Upon these guide-rods are placed a series of crossslats I), which are preferably made of thin strips of wood and have their upper edges beveled, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These slats are all provided with an aperture at each end, adapted to receive the guide-rods C, so that the slats may slide freely thereon. A central one of these slats, as D, is secured to the longitudinal bars A of the frame, and this central slat is provided with a pin d, lying within the groove d of the frame. The end ones of the slats D are each provided with a rod E, which is secured to the slat and extends toward the center and lies within the groove d, and at its inner end said rod is provided with a hook, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The slats are held toward the center by means of a spring, preferably a rubber band F,which is passed over the pin d and the hook upon the arm E. Two of these bands are used, one extending from the center in each direction. This serves to press the slats toward the center with an even pressure, so that cards which are supported between adjacent slats, as shown by the cards G in Fig. 2, are held ina vertical position and with an even pressure. A card may thus be inserted between each slat and the one adjacent thereto. If desired, the upper edges of the slats may be covered with cloth or other material, which will prevent the possibility of marring the cards. This, however, is thought to betotally unnecessary, as the chance of marring the cards by contact with the wood surface is very slight.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patentp l. A card-holder, comprising a frame having longitudinal bars separated to form a slot.

between them, a series of cross-slats having their lower edges upon said bars, a central one of said cross-slats being secured to the frame, the other slats having holes therethrough, guide rods passing through said holes, and springs lying in the slots between thelongitudinal bars and connecting the outer cross-slats with the fixed central one, substantiall y as described.

2. A card-holder, comprising a series of cross-slats having holes near one edge, guiderods passing through said holes, a frame havin g two separated longitudinal bars beneath and supporting said cross-slats,and end pieces supporting the guide-rods, the end ones of the cross-slats having a rod secured by one end thereto and extending toward the center and lying in the slot between the two longitudinal bars, the inner ends of said rods being hooked, a central one of the cross-slats being secured in place and having a pin in the slot between the longitudinal bars, and a spring 0r rubber band secured to said pin and the hooks on said last-named rods, substantially as described.

JOSEPII II. BEAULIEU.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH L. EGAN, FRANCIS X. RICHMOND. 

